Page 10 of Alpha's Sunflower Smiles

Yeah, it wasn’t the risk to his tools that was making me uneasy, was it? It was the risk to him.

Richard put his hands on his hips. “Are you out here alone?”

“Yes.”

“Well I’m going to have to ask you to go back into the shop. This area is for staff only.”

I was so relieved to have found the cause of my internal conflict that I didn’t argue. I followed Richard meekly out to the shop, where he began to berate Wilfred.

“You can’t let random people into the workshop, you know.”

“Pete’s not a stranger, though, is he?” Wilfred nodded at me as he said it, as though that illustrated his point.

Richard shook his head. “He could have messed with anything out there, Wilfred.”

“He was only drinking a cup of tea.”

“He was totally unsupervised.” Richard turned suspicious eyes on me. “Did you touch anything?”

I cleared my throat, since Wilfred was starting to look panicked.

“I didn’t get a chance. I’d only just got in there when you came in.”

“Well I’ll have to ask you to stay out in future.”

I nodded, catching Wilfred’s eye. He seemed happy to let Richard talk for him but, as I studied him, I realised that he was restraining a smile. I needed to know why.

Chapter 5

Wilfred

Richard left us alone in the shop, having made it clear that the workshop was out of bounds and the office space was his domain. Pete gave me a quizzical look. “Is he always that bossy?”

The smile I’d been restraining slipped out and I nodded. “Yes, he is.”

“You sound pleased about it.”

“I am! You know, six months ago, Richard was miserable because he’d been repressing his true nature. He’s bossy. He likes taking control and being in charge and he likes to organise things. He’s a bit of a marvel, you know. He’s organised all of our new website.”

“I didn’t know you were getting a new website. Hang on, did you evenhavea website?”

I shuffled my feet sheepishly. “No, I didn’t. That’s why Richard made us get one. I thought it was going to be tooexpensive and I’d run out of money but Richard organised the money, too. He’s very efficient.”

The way Pete’s eyebrows rose made my hackles rose. I didn’t mind people dismissing me but it annoyed me when people dismissed Richard.

“Heisefficient,” I insisted. “He’s very talented. Don’t you think omegas can be good at business?”

Pete waved a hand dismissively. “It’s not that. I know omegas can be great business people. I work for enough of them. I just didn’t realise Richard was running as much of your business as he is. Is that why you like him being bossy?”

A surprised laugh burst out of me. “No, it’s not that. I just like to see him being himself, that’s all. He’s gained so much confidence! He didn’t think twice about banning you from the workshop and you’re an alpha.”

“That reminds me,” said Pete, and his voice dropped low. There might even have been a hint of a growl to it. I braced myself. I hated it when people got angry with me. “The back door was unlocked.”

I waited but that seemed to be all he was going to say.

“Oh?” I said at last.

Pete sighed. “Wilfred, it was unlocked and anyone could just walk in. You wouldn’t hear them from out here.”

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